A premier burger blog based in Denver, CO, but reviewing and discussing great burgers everywhere. It is here we discuss burger lore, the philosophies and techniques required to create and consume a great burger, and who in Denver, CO and around the country knows how to do it right. Guest posts are always welcome, and no, we are not chefs, but yes, we know more about burgers than almost every chef we've ever met. Follow us on Twitter @theburgerbaron!

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Indulge Burger – Scottsdale, AZ

Our review today comes from my good friend Nate, who recently moved to Phoenix. His review highlights an alarming trend with hip burger joints…read on:

I recently visited Indulge Burgers in Scottsdale, AZ after hearing good reviews, but primarily at the prodding of a daily deal special – $25 for 2 burgers, 2 apps & 2 beers… not too shabby. I would like to say that all of that was for me, but it wasn’t…I had a buddy join me. Standard to many of the new “hip” burger places, this was a create-your-own, invent-your-own burger joint with a checklist style menu.

I chose the modest 1/2 lb all natural beef patty in medium (sorry Baron, need a little less blood), and thought I would go for it (since it was in fact included)… adding: Gruyere cheese, honey cured bacon, baby greens, grilled onions, tomatoes, burger sauce on the side and topped with a brioche bun.

After starting into the sweet potato fries and onion rings and half way into my 20oz Kilt Lifter Scottish Ale (Four Peaks Brewery, Tempe AZ) the burger arrived. It was beautiful! It looked really, really good and so I began. The brioche was soft, but just alright. The burger was a little overdone, lacked seasoning and was fairly dry…I imagine due to the fact that they fire over gas and let the drippings fall away. The gruyere didn’t have flavor, and I ended up having to liberally douse it with the burger sauce to get some good flavor. It was disappointing. I was promised so much yet given so little. As mentioned by others in previous BB posts, the new burger joints focus too much on the toppings and extras and forget about the main thing…the meat. Even though it’s natural beef doesn’t mean it’s good! You need to treat it right! The waitress didn’t have a clue about the blend of meat and when I asked her about the patty itself all she could say was that it was “natural”, and then pointed to the menu where it was clearly written out for all to see. Many people would be happy with these words to give them a good burger experience, but not me…I wanted more.

Overall I was disappointed in the burger, but still glad I went. Sharing all that for $25 or $15 with tip is not too bad. Though the best part was the beer and the burger sauce. Next time though, I might spend the $15 more wisely and hit the In-n-Out down the street and have a great experience.